In moments of artificial or natural disasters, there is hardly any time to go around and arrange the necessities. Hence, we highly advise our readers to keep stock and a survival kit ready for themselves to avoid starvation.
What Factors Should I Look Into Before Purchasing a Survival Food Kit?
Here are a few things one must dive into before having a survival food kit:
#1 Eatability
Eatability is a term that refers to several things. The three most important are as follows:
- Taste – We want you to know that when the moment comes, and that meal you purchased is the only food you have, it must taste nice. A delicious dinner that tastes well is a priority in a problematic scenario.
- Texture – Many families have young children at home. One has to plan and prepare to make the meal easy to eat. Thus, even if the food tastes well but the texture is not as expected, the joy of having the meal decreases.
- Appearances – Maintaining some sense of routine is critical to alleviating some tension in an emergency. The ability to cook a meal that tastes excellent and looks pleasing and enticing adds to the comfort factor.
#2 Ingredients
What should you have? Look into the pantry! However, not every ingredient is suitable for a crisis. Thus, choose quick and easy items to prepare and fill for every family member.
Look for those meals and emergency food supplies that can be prepared and stored in various ways. You don’t want to rely solely on frozen goods. You also don’t want to rely solely on canned items, as they can be bulky and difficult to transport if you need to travel quickly.
#3 Methods Of Preparation
Despite high-calorie, low-space items like rice and beans being fantastic, you should have a variety of other options and additional supplies on hand if you don’t have access to boiling water or tools right away. Dehydrated, freeze-dried food and canned meals help keep on hand because they don’t require fire or boiling water.
#4 Affordability
Price is another important factor; what if everything that lasts long is out of your budget? Is it possible for you to gradually build up your long-term food reserve to begin a purchase program? Is it possible for you to buy everything in bulk?
When it comes to long-lasting food items, these are the things you should look for. Some companies often sell emergency preparedness kits and food supplies at sale prices. You get a discount on the regular price only if you buy in bulk.
#5 Storage & Weight
Another critical component of your survival food kit is its weight. You should assess how many places you have in your home because you must have at least one or two-week supply of food or rations.
Choose a cold, dry, and well-aerated storage space in your home. The best solutions are usually a basement or a root cellar. If you have a large space, keep some additional items in store.
If you’re putting together a bug-out bag, prepare the essential items and avoid goods that contain unnecessary packaging or additives. Light foods, such as dried food products, are a suitable option.
High-quality containers can extend the shelf life of your food by years or even decades, so buy wisely. We recommend the Nutrient Survival Food Kit for lightweight kits with a long shelf life.
#6 Life Expectancy
When purchasing a survival food kit, the shelf life of the non-perishable food must be considered. Nobody knows how long a food scarcity would persist in a crisis or how much the food would cost if stocks are limited.
Do not rely primarily on frozen or refrigerated meals, as power outages frequently occur at inconvenient times.
#7 Dietary Specialization
One must also take dietary requirements and allergies into account. If someone has a poor response to any food, you may not have access to life-saving medicine in an emergency. Therefore you want to avoid having an allergic reaction to your meals at any cost.
Before putting together your survival food box or purchasing any prepackaged meal kits, note all dietary limitations and allergies you and your family have. Don’t forget the pet food if you have a little fluffy member.
Survival meal kit manufacturers have considerably enhanced their goods to accommodate various dietary preferences and constraints in recent years.
How To Plan the Amount of Food You May Need In Crisis?
Having a disaster plan and participating in earthquake drills can help you prepare for an adverse situation better. In the long list of survival items and basic tools, an adequate food supply comes first.
Don’t be anxious about storing food for a long time. For several weeks, seasons, or even years, you can do it a little bit at a time. Slowly and steadily grow your reserves as your cash and space allow. At least a week’s worth of food is already saved in most families.
We recommend that you keep organized and follow the calendar to ensure that everything goes smoothly—set goals for 1 one month, three months, six months, and one year.
1 Month
Buying a few additional products per week is a legitimately easy and pleasant approach to creating a small store of food reserves. You can begin by purchasing an additional 25% of your weekly grocery shopping because no one understands your appetite better than you.
You know how much food you and your family consume on a typical week. You’ll have an extra month’s worth of food after roughly a month. Remember not to spoil these items by storing them in the storeroom and waiting for an emergency; instead, rotate them and eat them regularly.
3 Months
It is time to think of long-term food storage items that one can purchase in large quantities. You may not want to discontinue your regular food storage process at this point and make the most of your cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator.
However, including some life-saving ingredients like grains, lipids, milk, cheese, biscuits, and leavening to ensure your ‘survival.’ can help you plan your daily food.
6 Months
After completing the six-month food storage mission, you’ll have to start stocking up a range of foods and bites to keep your children healthy and happy. Consider adding combinations and even annual food supplies to your survival kit now that you’ve secured the essentials. It can significantly expand your food storage resources in one fell swoop while saving your money.
Add the solid cooking ingredients, such as grain, rice, sugar, salt, and so on, and double-check that they are all there. Don’t waste your money on frozen food cans and boxed dinners. Maintain a healthy eating regimen for every person per day as well.
1 Year
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) recommends having a year’s worth of food storage. It will take a lot of patience and possibly several years to achieve your objective, but if you plan and stick to a budget, you will be able to complete this food storage quest like a pro.
Don’t be scared to begin slowly and steadily raise your pace; you’ll find it’s not as difficult as you think. Please remember that the food’s shelf life is an important factor to consider. Some items aren’t as fresh as they appear, and others have a far longer life span. Also, keep some garbage bags in hand to dispose of expired items.
What Are The Essential Food Items To Have In Time Of Need?
Now that you’ve studied ‘how to do it,’ it’s time to choose which options to apply what you’ve learned thus far. Consider your family’s specific needs and preferences when stocking up on groceries. You will not modify your eating habits from east to west or vice versa. Make a list of the items you eat regularly.
In stressful situations, they boost morale and provide a sense of security. While gathering the emergency kit items, include meals that the entire family will like while still fulfilling the number of calories per day and nutritional requirements.
Foods with a lengthy shelf life (at least a year) include:
#1 Canned Food
Storing food is the real deal when it comes to shelf life and health. Produced canned foods can last up to five years on the shelf, while canned items can last up to a year and a half. This means you may stock up on these items without fear of rotting, which is especially important during power outages or other crises when you need to get a lot done quickly. Because canned foods are affordable, you may stock up on various fruits, vegetables, meat, and soup to stay healthy and satisfied.
It is essential to have an electrical light source with extra batteries at disposal to correctly identify the food item from the storage and read the particulars in case of a power outage to avoid any harmful consequences.
#2 White Rice
White rice is the most delicious food item on the emergency food storage list. It comes first on the list of shelf-stable foods. Rice is available in a wide variety at every local store and is inexpensive. Rice meals are useful since they are filling and can help you overcome stomach distress. It can last for more than 25 years or even longer if properly packaged and kept at a moderate temperature. Brown rice, on the other hand, is healthier, but it has a shorter shelf life than white rice.
#3 Dried Food
Dry beans and dried beef are foods that everyone in the family can consume. They’re a fantastic protein source. The best thing about these dried goods is how readily you can preserve them. Relax because they won’t go anywhere if you store them in sealed containers made of metal or plastic. Dried fruits and vegetables such as corn, popcorn, mushrooms, and dried fruits like raisins, apples, and bananas are also popular.
#4 Frozen Food
Since the 1930s, the concept of freezing food has been around. In essence, freezing is nature’s pause button. Modifying the time it takes for something to decay preserves freshness, slows enzymatic reactions, and extends the life of foods. They last for about a year on the shelf. When cooking frozen food, expenditures were decreased by more than a third. Cooking will require a stove or electrical equipment in the emergency shelter.
#5 Seasonings & Spices
Food items give you life, so they deserve to be full of flavor and goodness. Herbs and spices provide flavor and add nutritional value. Spices like salt and pepper will survive a year or two in their original food packaging if kept in your cabinet.
#6 Other Beverages And Water
Water is the most critical and vital component of any survival kit. In perfect conditions, a water storage source can theoretically store indefinitely. Bottled Water supplies need to be stored after calculating the required liters of water per person. Usually, a gallon per person is sufficient in emergencies, but you should always have extra water at hand.
Remember that water is necessary not just for drinking but also for fulfilling other purposes. Keep personal hygiene items such as toilet paper and paper towels close to the water source. The application or use of medical supplies or medical equipment may need some clean water.
Consider including other liquids in your basic supplies, such as dairy, coffee, or tea, as they are good survival food storage options since they provide you more energy and cause you to eat less solid food. Instant milk has a 20-year shelf life if maintained properly. Coffee is also a great alternative.
Where Should You Keep Your Survival Food?
Have you ever heard of a colossal creature named HOLT? No? It’s the apex of food destruction. Here’s a nice breakdown of his name, complete with details.
H (Humidity)
Humidity deteriorates the mechanics in beachfront homes and degrades your meals as well. It encourages the growth of germs and mold. And it can happen invisibly in even the most hermetically sealed containers you own. Keep your food dry and free of moisture.
O (Oxygen)
Oxygen is one of the critical variables that cause food quality to deteriorate over time. Promote oxygen absorbers and enclose the food in a food-grade pail to help avoid rodents from eating through it. While shopping for storage food, look for some high-quality plastic containers.
L (Light)
Your world isn’t always illuminated by light. It alters the flavor and color of food, causing flavors to decay more quickly. It degrades the nutritional value of the meal as well as its appearance. Keep your emergency kit or survival food supply in the cool, dark, and shady area.
T (Temperature)
To limit the possibility of bacterial infection, you must store many goods at a low temperature. The temperature must be in the 50s to 60s Fahrenheit range. Keep your content in the basement or cellar, significantly cooler than the top floor.